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Articles: Devotion | Being Yourself
- Prof. venkata ramanamurty mallajosyula
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'Have you any idea how gracefully you swim?' he said. 'Quite the expert.'
'Just watch,' said Lady as she dived to the bottom of the river. She began to move her legs and head, moving and turning, a picture of skill and expertise. Looking a bit like a small grey submarine in the hand of a master helmsman. She came back to the surface and was rejoined by a chuntering Pee.
'You nearly drowned me diving like that with no warning!'
'Good though, aren't I?'
'Yes, yes, very good. So why don't you start to believe in yourself? We all have our own individual skills. Time you began to enjoy yours rather than comparing yourself with others. Comparing only makes you miserable.'
'Hum,' said Lady.
The two swam to the opposite side of the river where the giraffes were enjoying their afternoon drink. With their long necks they had to splay open their legs to enable their mouths to reach the surface of the water. It was a very tricky procedure and in this position the giraffes were very vulnerable, open to an attack from a predator.
'Oh Lady, you made me jump!' one startled giraffe remarked. 'Thought you were a crocodile for a minute. I could only see your eyes and nose and that is just how they sneak close before they make an attack.'
'Sorry,' said Lady. 'Do you know I have always wanted to be tall and elegant like you, but it isn't very easy for you to drink is it?'
'Gazing up at the stars...'
'No we have to be very careful. You wouldn't want to be us Lady. You would miss your water too much. We often see you swimming and diving in the cool water and it looks so much fun. You are very lucky you know.'
The giraffe's words remained in Lady's head and she thought about them for a long time. She thought about them all that day and all the next day as well and the day after. In fact, she remembered the words for the rest of her life and from that day on she was never sad or critical about who she was or what she looked like. She spent her days rolling in the orange mud to keep cool and having long conversations with Pee. And often, at night, she would lay half submerged in the water, gazing up at the stars and thinking just how lucky she was to be alive.
Swami says, “Learn to make the best of life, this chance offered to you to sublimate your instincts, impulses and vasanas (impressions left on the mind by past actions) and rise higher and higher on the moral and spiritual ladder. Make the best use of opportunities like this and derive Ananda (bliss).”
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